Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox news, rumors and injuries

Boston Red Sox OF Mookie Betts appears to be a lock to hit leadoff and start in center field in 2015, in the opinion of The Boston Globe's Steve Silva. The Red Sox need a dynamic leadoff hitter, and OF Daniel Nava won't be a starter and OF Shane Victorino is no longer a viable option there. Betts hit .291/.368/.444 in 213 plate appearances in 2014. Despite have little experience in center field, Betts is improving every day in camp. "He's a good athlete," manager John Farrell said. "He asks a lot of great questions. The aptitude is clearly there. In time, he's going to be a very good center fielder." Farrell won't announce a starter now, so Betts and OF Rusney Castillo will see equal playing time in center in spring training.

Fantasy Tip: We don't know that Betts is a lock to start in center field on opening day because of the money Boston invested in Castillo, but it does seem highly likely that both Betts and Castillo are on the active roster to start the year. At the end of the year, both outfielders should contribute greatly in the outfield picture, and both are worth drafting in standard 12-team leagues. Castillo has the more palpable upside of power and speed, while Betts will mainly help you as a stolen base asset.

Boston Red Sox OFs Rusney Castillo and Mookie Betts will share center field work in spring training, and manager John Farrell said there isn't a favorite for the job. "Like we said at the outset of camp, we'll take all of camp to determine that," said Farrell. "They're going to get equal playing time. But I think it's important they both get comfortable with the combination of the guys on the flank because of communication, the responsibilities for balls in the gap, fly ball communication and those priorities."

Fantasy Tip: Castillo is widely believed to have an edge on the center field job, and he's the better gamble as a high-upside prospect in the middle rounds of mixed league drafts. However, Betts is also expected to make the roster, and he should serve as a nice source of steals in the later rounds.

Philadelphia Phillies SP Cole Hamels doesn't appear likely to be dealt to the Boston Red Sox, as there are no signs that point toward any progress in trade talks surrounding Hamels between the two clubs, according to two major league sources. The Phillies have been rumored to covet Red Sox C Blake Swihart and OF Mookie Betts in a package for Hamels. However, Boston is in no rush to swing a trade, and they are unlikely to agree to any trade that involves either Swihart or Betts. Boston is also high on SP Henry Owens.

Fantasy Tip: Hamels' fantasy value would look much better away from the Phillies, but a trade might not happen until closer to the All-Star break now. Regardless, Hamels is one of the more reliable starting pitchers in the league, and he'll keep fantasy ace qualification in Philadelphia to start the season.

Fantasy Tip: Nava hit just .159 (10-for-63) from the right side in 2014, while hitting .293 in 300 at-bats from the left side. Nava is in a logjam in the outfield right now, and he is value is limited to AL-only leagues.

Boston Red Sox OF Rusney Castillo is behind others in the competition to bat leadoff, according to manager John Farrell. When discussing batting first for the Red Sox Farrell said, "whether or not Rusney is a guy who evolves into that in time I would say there are other guys ahead of him right now." Castillo is the apparent favorite to beat out OFs Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. for the starting center field job.

Fantasy Tip: Castillo flashed his power and speed in his first taste of MLB last year, hitting two homers and stealing three bases. He also batted .333, albeit in a small sample. He's an intriguing fantasy commodity with plenty of upside in all fantasy leagues if he secures regular playing time, but this news suggests it's unlikely he'll hit in a favorable run-producing spot in the order.

Fantasy Tip: With Victorino already declared the starter in right field to open the season if healthy, news of him possibly batting leadoff bumps his fantasy value up a notch. Still, Victorino is an older player with a recent injury history. He shouldn't be viewed as more than a late-round gamble in mixed leagues as a potential modest contributor across the board, with stolen bases serving as the category he's most likely to move the needle in.

Boston Red Sox DH David Ortiz opens the year in Philadelphia, a National League city, eliminating the designated hitter from their lineup. When asked whether he'd have any reservations about using Ortiz in the field the first three games in Philadelphia, manager John Farrell answered, "none at all." Ortiz has hit .220 in 127 at-bats since 2007 in games in which he's played first base.

Fantasy Tip: Ortiz remains a solid source of power, batting average and run production even at his advanced age. Farrell's willingness to use him in the field makes Ortiz an option in FantasyScore games if he opens with a favorable pitching matchup at homer-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

Fantasy Tip: All indications are Hamels opens the season in Philadelphia and stays there, at least until the trading deadline. If Hamels can get past his trade demands and is healthy to pitch, he remains a solid option in most mixed and NL drafts.

Boston Red Sox OFs Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. could all be competing for center field duties this spring, with OF Hanley Ramirez slated for left and OF Shane Victorino (if healthy) in right field. Castillo could have the inside track on the job based on the $72.5 million deal he signed last year. General manager Ben Cherington doesn't think Castillo needs more seasoning before playing in the big leagues. Betts impressed the team in his rookie season last year, while Bradley struggled offensive but continues to impress with his defense. Manager John Farrell has been impressed with Bradley's compact swing at the plate so far in spring. All three outfielders have minor league options left. The Red Sox could find considerable playing time for one of the center fielders off the bench. However, OFs Allen Craig and Daniel Nava are also competing for playing time.

Fantasy Tip: The most likely scenario is that Castillo starts in center with Betts coming off the bench to replace Ramirez and Victorino where needed. Bradley would then be the odd-man out and start the year in the minors. As a result, Castillo should be taken in the middle rounds of standard drafts for his upside, while Betts remains relevant in mixed leagues for his speed later on.

Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said Tuesday, Feb. 24, that DH David Ortiz "knows he's going to be a Red Sox (player) as long as he wants to be a Red Sox (player.)" He is set to turn 40 in November, and only three players in franchise history have played in as many of 100 games past the age of 40.

Fantasy Tip: D.O. smacked a team-high 35 homers last season, so he clearly still has plenty left in the tank. Unfortunately for fantasy owners he is limited to just designated hitter which hurts his appeal somewhat.

Boston Red Sox DH David Ortiz can remain in Boston for as long as he wants to, according to general manager Ben Cherington. Ortiz will turn 40 this year, and only 10 position players have played past their 40th birthday in Red Sox history. Ortiz hinted last year that the 2015 season may be his last. However, Cherington said there have been no talks regarding that recently. This is the last guaranteed year of Ortiz's contract, and he'll be paid $16 million. His $11 million contract will vest for 2016 if he reaches 425 plate appearances this year. Ortiz can make more next year for more plate appearances.

Fantasy Tip: Because of his age and restrictive position qualifications, Ortiz often falls far in fantasy baseball drafts. But remember, he still managed to hit 35 home runs last year and has hit 20 homers in 13 straight seasons. There remains a point at which Ortiz becomes a bargain for his consistent power.

Boston Red Sox 1B Mike Napoli says he has more energy this spring after having surgery in the offseason to correct a severe case of sleep apnea. He isn't feeling sluggish anymore after his condition and nagging injuries left him hitting .248 with 17 home runs and 55 RBI in 2014. "It's been night and day," Napoli said. "Just my energy level. When I wake up and when I get out of bed and get my day started. Before I'd lay in bed until like one o'clock. It's totally different."

Fantasy Tip: Napoli's renewed energy levels and strength could go a long way in helping restore the power he lost last season. Consider him a deep sleeper at the first base position and keep tabs on him during spring contests.

Boston Red Sox SS Yoan Moncada, who is just 19 years old, is expected to start in the minor leagues given his relative inexperience. However, Moncada doesn't expect to stay in the minors for long. It's unclear where the Red Sox would like to play him. One National League executive said Moncada is "a younger Robinson Cano type with better speed and more positional versatility."

Fantasy Tip: Moncada is another Cuban sensation that'll likely be overvalued in fantasy drafts initially. It's unclear what his timetable might be to reach the majors, and even if he does, there's not a clear path to consistent playing time in Beantown, barring an injury somewhere. Moncada might be worth a late-round flier in really deep mixed leagues, and a low investment in AL-only formats, but be prepared to stash him for a while.

Updating an earlier report, Boston Red Sox SS Yoan Moncada agreed to a $31.5 million deal. The Red Sox will have to pay 100% tax on the deal, which means he'll cost the team $63 million.

Fantasy Tip: Moncada is a 19-year-old phenom, and he has a chance to reach the majors this season if he's as developed as advertised. He has several hurdles to overcome, though, as the team's roster is loaded. Watch him in camp before spending a late-round flyer on him.